Why doesn't AT&T "Digital" Cable have DIGITAL AUDIO? (1 Viewer)

[Dan Stone]

Digital cable (digital picture delivery) and digital sound are two different things. There seems to be some confusion that they are one and the same. They are not, just as satellite is a digital picture delivery system but not all the satellite channels are in Dolby Digital 5.1 yet.
AT&T/Comcast DOES have both Dolby Digital 5.1 and HDTV currently available, but only in certain parts of the country at the moment although they are constantly expanding the areas upgraded with these services.
For 5.1, but without HDTV, you need the DCT-2000L not the regular DCT-2000.
For HDTV, along with 5.1, you need the DCT-5000.
There was a thread posted here recently which addressed these same issues: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=110461
Tacoma/Puyallup (as well as most of the Puget Sound area) has both HDTV and 5.1 available provided you live in an area where the cable plant has been upgraded. Most of Puyallup was just recently upgraded.
Before jumping to conclusions that satellite is automatically better than cable, I suggest you read the following thread: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=110704
Hope this may be of some assistance.
Dan

 

[Rob Willey]

PS....Hey Rob, how is the satellite reception in this crap weather?

Absolutely no problems and the sun hasn't come out since my dish was installed. The multiple power outages from the wind are another matter...

Rob

 

[Michael Napier]

my analog 1-99 and 9 premium movie chls were swell -- but AT&T just forced me to get the Motorola DCT-2000 digital converter box, saying they're switching the premiums to the digital end in January; no choice if I want to stay with this cable company

Don't you just love that? If you want the premium channels, now you have to pay extra for the digital cable as well as the subscription fees for the premium channels.

Man, I just love cable companies!

 

[Dan Stone]

Don't you just love that? If you want the premium channels, now you have to pay extra for the digital cable as well as the subscription fees for the premium channels.

Man, I just love cable companies!

You should be pointing the finger at the FCC, not the cable companies. All television providers in the US are having to begin migrating towards broadcasting entirely in digital, and in fact, the FCC is concerned that the migration hasn't been happening faster than what it already is. One cable provider is not unique in this regard.